Protecting means for x-ray tubes and the like.



W. MEYER. PROTECTING MEANSFOR X-RAY TUBES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-21.1916. v

Patented Aug. 21-, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

DGWQQQRBQ LQ N W. MEYER.

PROTECTING MEANS FOR X-RAY TUBES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21., I916;

Patented Aug. 21', 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

K M/J OFFIGE v j WILLIAM MEYER, cnidneq rmlmors.

I t r connect the lowerratingtube when the 55 ,Befihknown that 1,WJVIIJIJJIAIM MnmR,ya 1 11glie1 ratingtuhe is employed; p citizen'oftheUnited States, residing at Chi? lVlyjinVentibn provides ine'ans. forautocago; in the county of Cook vand State of lnatically' opening theline beyond the tube Illinois, hayewinvented a certainfnew. and that i'sconnected Whenthe particulartube useful Improvement in Protecting Means1s connected. ,The attachment of the near- .60

fOl:X-R Ly Tubes and the like, of which the; est tuh'e in each caseopensthe circuit for following isa full, clearf concise, and "exacttherreinote tube or tubes so that when the description,referenceheinghad toQthe ac sourcelof current isapplie'cl and regulatedcolnpanying 1 drawings, forming a part to limilu'ce the propeifintens tyof discharge v thisspecification p y a er w ll no!danger .miu'r ga y h rM invention relatesto a system of disk tube ortuhes even thoughdthe sameshould" tribution of current forv X-ray tubes or the ren ain Eiconneeted to the distributing mains.

} like, ancl more particularly; to protecting, 1,1 1 the accompanying tlraivingsQI h aye means "for automaticallydisconnecting alow. illstrated one embodime t f: my i current capacityX-ray tube hena tubeof j131011 s v I v'70 Q greater current capacityisconnected." lii'gurejl isa diagram of the system Icon- Y I liaye'found that it is often desirableto'v rstru cteclin accordance With my invention einploy ,X-'ray 'tubesof different discharge Qis elevatioii of the automatic 2O capacitiesfordifferent classes of work that". sw tchingand connectingmechanism;and r istosay I einployone tube; for fluoroscopy Fig: 3 1s an end viewof the same. t 75 and another tube for radiography. The 1 li'ijFig lthesource of current fojr-excitr characteristics of the two classesof'workf ingtheXraytubes 1 and 2' is connected to (lifter materially.lin thefluoifoscopic ork; the adjustable spark gap terminals 3 and 4- asmall amount of current is employed mm which mounted on suitable pillars5 and" relatively feeble discharge "OCOuISu '"It is G Oll ltlk cabinet7., I g

oftenfnecessary, in fluoroscopic Work tosuh The] cabinet 7 is preferablyof the type jest the patient to the X-ray fora consiclerdisclosed in myco-pencling application, Se- I able length oftiine. For radiography, therial 'N 267Q8filed' May 8th, 1915, having current, required for properworkis rela-r suitable eontml mechanism, diagrammati- I tively great tosecure a quick andintense callyillustratek:l atsandf and'an alnnieter,85 exposure Thetwo'classes of Work are often as indicated at 10 forregulating the earriedon intliiferent rooms and a singlestrength ofcurrentfl It is to be understoddsource of "current is employecl tosupplyeach that anyfdesirecl type of inechanisni niay be tube with current.The current source employed for furnishing current of a proper g'u-mided with suitahleregulating ineans to character for the tulires lanclIt is neces- 90 supply the proper current value to eachl of sary onlythat the current supply means he the tubes Where a single source of'curprovided with suitable regulating means to 'rentuis utilized, thetwo] tubes may he supprovide Current of one strength for the tube 40pliedwith current overfanfaerial distribut 1 and current lofanothelfstrength for the,

111 line. WVhenlthe fluoroscopytube is to. ti he Q, ,Thetube 2 maybeemployed in a'95 he nsecl the tube is connected to the aerial-g separaterooin as is indicated by the Wall 11.

line and the currentsource is regulated to limi offiaerjial mains lZ andearesu v i give a'l'ow current value suchas is proper pendedineansofthe, insulators 14 and 15 i Fo'rthisclassfofwork; i a T v Ifroinsuitahle supports such as the cross! When the radiography tube istobeerm bars 1.6 and li. Theo-verheati mains 12 anclfl plfoyed, it isnecessary to disconnect the 13am 'connec tedtothe terminals 3; and' 4,fluoifoscopy tuhe orthe same wouldbe'inf' respectively, in eans'vof the.fleX'ible'metal-f jurecl hy the heavy currentlwhieh would flow he leads1 8 and 119,." The e fl ible 'f t flid threughit if the currentsoutcewerfe regu leads are connected "to'a spring reel' con late" "givelthe'increased outputrequired; tained a suitable metallic'shellEZOXsaicl 1 a by radiographytube. Thereisalways shell beingconnectedthrough the proper grave anger, ofclamajgingthe lowerratin'gconductor. The/conductors 18 and 19 are To dZZiokmn it may cancer rajits 1 's 9 time if er Oper te? d s snows-Korma MEANS non mm; Tunas ANDTHE LIKE.

iA pp lication filed Januaryz'r, 1916., Seria1 1\To. 74,536, I i l thicontinuouslyunder a ten- Specification of Letters Patent. ate t wg-31,1917;

r a to sion which servestokeep them taut and to -keep the ends Lfirinlyin contactlwith' the body to which they are connected. The tube 2 isconnected through the mains 12 and. 13

v .by means of similar flexible conductors 21,

22, held under the tension of the springs contained in the cases 20. Thereel allows up as desired.

The tube 2 is allowed to remain connected with the mains 12 and 13 asthe apparatus 'wliiclrcoiinects"the tube 1' to these mains automaticallydisconnects the tube 2. a i

The gravity closed switches 23 and 24 convI nect thedistant ofthemains12 andfl13 .with'the ends'adj'acent the source of current. But whenthe tube 1 is connected the switch" i's"automati'ca lly opened to renderthe remote portion of the mains dead, and

thus disconnect the tube 2. The structure of the automatically operatingmechanismisshown'in o're clearly in Fig; 2. The switch comprises abai ofinsulation 25, preferably a v of cylindrical shape; having a metal disk26 secured on the remote end thereof, and a slotted metal sleeve27connected to theop-,

posite end thereof.

' The d'skee and the sleeve 27 are connected to' the respective portionsof the main-12113 means of suitable eyes or hooks .LQSand29,'jrespectivel y. A thin arm, preferably constructed of 'sheet metal,30, is pivoted upon a pin- 31; whichpassesthrough the sleeve 27 and tothe end of the insulatii' igjjrocl 25; The upper end ofithe arm 30 .isconnected by means of a rod 32 to a counterbalanciiig weight 33. i Thelower end of the arm 30 is connected to a l'i glit switching arm 34which extends to a point beyond,

th'e'disk 2-6 so that the counterweight 33 will always press the switcharm 34 and the 26 together to make contact unless the action isinterfered with by the reel or otherwise. -The' reel 35 is i'connectedby i means of aswivel 36 anda hool'r37 to the arm; 34adjacent' the pivot31 in order that "the counterbalai'icing weight 33' will overcometlieweight of the arm 34 and of the reel 35; The arm'34 is preferably madeof aluminum or is otherwise constructed of .eli'gl'it weight inorderftojobyiate the neces-, si'ty of" a heavy co 'iiiterweight 33.7 Thereel 35 is provided with a spring roller uponthe interior; thereof whichautomatically takes up the excess tapefor cord which is:

employeda' The reel 35 preferably employs a fiexijhle metallic tapewhich will, Wind flat upon a the sp ning l roller above mentioned; To-theend o'f the flat tape or ribbon. I secure a, flexible cylindricalconductor 38 which may becovered with suitable insulation and which hasupon the end thereof a suitable hook 39l ,Thefstructure of the switch isidentical with tlia'tof the above described" switch."

the fiexible cord to be extended or wound When the hook of theflexibleconductor 38 is attached to the X-ray tube 1, the switch blade 34 ispulled down into the dotted line a position shown in Fig. 2. The tensionof the spring roller in the reel 35 holds the switch blade iiuthe opennposition and thus protects the tube 2 so long as the tube 1 isconnected. The flexible tape or ribbon 40 would alone serve the purposeof making suitable connection but the same is inconvenient to grasp withthe hand and the provision of thec'ylindi'ical' flexible convductor 38upon the end of the metallic ribhon iO provic'les a greatly appreciatedcon- Veni'ence; The operation of the system will now be apparent. Thelow ci'irre'nt'capacity tube 2 is always connected to' the mains 12 and13iaiid the operator, knowing this regulates the source of current atthe cabinet 7; so as t'o" put no greater voltage upon the mains12 and 13than will cause the proper amount of current to flow through the tube2'; If it is desired to use'the tube 1, the current is shut off and theoperator grasps the fiexiblecord 38, unwinds the reel 35, at-

taching'the hook 39- to the proper teri'ninal of the tube. Thespri'ngtension ofthe reel 35 automatically opens the" switch blade- 34,I disco'nnectingithe remote end of the mains thereby. In a similarmanner when the hook" 41 is connected to the other terminal of the tubethe line wire 12 is opened 1 can be disconnected, there is no dangerofthe switches 23 and 24 being closed before the current is shut off atthe cabinet 7.

It is apparent that the details of construed tion of the switcli that Ihave illustrated may be yariednvithout departing from my invention asthe form and proportions that I ,have'shown are not strictly essentialfor obtaining the benefit of the same.

llvhat' I claim is: V 1. Incombinatiom a pair of relatively stationaryterminals, a movable switch blade pivotedto one of said terminals acounterbalancing weight, for moving said switch blade into contact withsaid otherterminal,

a conductor a and spring take-ups means connected to said conductor, thespring in the take-up means being adapted to exert a greater pull thanthe pull caused by the weight, said take-up means being adapted to holdthe switch blade open when the con ductor is extended.

2.:In comb'nation a switch having open 'and,close,d positions; meansfOIYYlGldlIlglY holding the switch in one of said positions,.

a. conductor having connection with the switch, yielding take-up meansin said conductor, said yielding take-up meansbeing adapted to exert apull greaterthan' that of the yielding holding means and to hold theswitch open when the conductor is extended.

3. In combination, a rod of insulation, having a metallic disk securedto one end, a metallic sleeve secured to the other, a slot in saidsleeve, aswitch arm pivoted in said slot and connected with said sleeve,means for normally holdlng said swltch blade against said disk, aconductor forconnecting said blade with a load deviceandspring meansconnected to said blade and a porswitch blade open. i

4, In combinatlon, a body of lnsulatlon, a stationary terminal securedto sald nsulatlon,

tion of said conductor for holdingsaid a second stationary terminalsecured to the other end of sald body of 1nsulatlon, aswitch,

blade for connecting said terminals, means for holding said switch bladein closed position, an extensible conductor for connecting said bladewitha load device and spring take-up means for said extensible conductorfor moving said switch bladeto the open position,

said take up'means being adapted tohold the switch blade open whentheconductor'is minals, a movable switch blade for connect mg StlClterminals, means for holding said switch blade normally in closedposition, a

spring reel having a'metallic casing secured to saidswitch blade, aflexible extensible conductor for connection wlth said metalllc casing,said reel having a spring for opening said switch blade and for holdingsaid flexible conductor taut when the conductor.

is extended.

7. In a switch adapted to be connected in ati'ansmis'sion line, a rigidbody of insula-v tion, aterminal rigidly mountedupon said body, a secondterminal mounted upon said body, a switch blade for connecting saidterminals, means for normally holding said switch blade closed and aspring take-up e01 duct-or for connecting said switch blade with anotherterminal, the spring in said take-up being strong enough to hold saidswitch blade open when the conductor is extended.

8. In combination a bar of insulating material, a metallic sleeve on oneend of said bar, a metallic flange on the other end of sald bar, saidsleeve and flange being adapted to be connected in a transmission line,s'ald sleeveand said bar having a slot there through, a switch bladepivoted in said slot, said switch blade being adapted to connect saidsleeve with said flange, and a counter balance connected to said switchblade for holding said switch blade in normal contact wlth said flange.

[9; In combination a bar of insulating material, a metallic sleeve onone end of said bar, a metallic flange on the other end of said bar,said sleeve and flange being adapted to be connected in a transmissionline, said sleeve and said bar having a slot there through, a switchblade pivoted in said slot,

said switch blade being adapted to connect sald sleeve wlth sald flange,and a counterbalance connected to said switch blade for holding saidswitch blade in normal contact with said flange, and a spring take-upconductor connected to said switch blade and adapted to hold said bladeopen against said counterbalance when the conductor is connected. to astat1onary terminal.

10. In combination a pair of switch terminals adapted to be connectedserially in a transmission line, an insulating member rlgidlv supportingsaid terminals in fixed re-' lation with respect to each other, a switchblade adapted to make contact between said terminals. means tending toclose said switch blade, said switch blade beingpermanently connected tothe terminal nearest the source of'current, an apparatus terminaladapted to be supported rigidlv at various distances from said switchblade, and a branch conductor comprising a spring take-up conductormechanically and electrically connected to said switch-bla de, saidspring takeup conductor being adapted when extended and attached to saidterminal to hold the from the terminal remote from the source ofcurrent.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe name this 18th day of JanuaryA. D.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivec'ents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 6.?

